Exploring the lived experiences of atypical-aged female students in university

The purpose of this qualitative study was to interview women over 40 years of age in order to discover their experiences after they returned to university. Obtaining a university degree later in life can be a challenging process. Many women had been unable to go directly into university from high school or continue university for a number of reasons: lack of finances, marriage commitments, family responsibilities, work commitments, and lack of support systems. The women in this research demonstrated determination, resilience, and motivation to pursue their education for both professional development and as personal goals. They were surprised at how well they did with their course work. One or two women planned to complete only their Bachelor's degree, while others found a love for learning and planned to keep going for Master's and Doctoral degrees and even continue on in other types of learning.